HUNTINGTON, W.V. – The Niagara baseball team opened its series with Marshall with a 9-3 victory over the Thundering Herd today.
In the top of the first, with two runners on base, Philippe Langlois singled to right field, scoring Brophy to put NU up 1-0. A two-run homerun from Marshall in the bottom of the first, however, put the Herd on top, 2-1. Niagara took back its lead in the top of the fifth. Peter Battaglia doubled down the left field line, sending Cullen home. Trevor McCauley then singled through the right side, scoring Battaglia and giving the Purple Eagles a 3-2 lead. Marshall tied things up, 3-3, with another homerun in the bottom of the fifth but the Purple Eagles remained strong. In the top of the seventh, a score from Cullen put Niagara back on top, 4-3. With bases loaded in the top of the eighth, Cullen hit his team-high second homerun of the season to extend Niagara’s lead, 8-3. NU added one more run in the top of the ninth; Tanner Kirwer doubled to left field, scoring McCauley. The Purple Eagles held off the Herd in the bottom of the ninth to come away with the victory and improve to 7-5 on the season.
Cullen led Niagara with a season-high three runs and four RBIs. He also led Niagara with three hits.
Brophy added two runs for the Purple Eagles and Kirwer had a team-high two doubles. Alex MacKinnon (2-0) picked up a win on the mound, striking out two batters and allowing only one hit in 3.0 innings pitched. The Purple Eagles are off to their best start since 2008, when they also went 7-5 in their first 12 games.
The Purple Eagles continue their series with Marshall, playing game two on Friday at 2 p.m. and game three on Saturday at 1 p.m.